


From the Horse's Mouth

by journeycat



Category: PIERCE Tamora - Works, Protector of the Small - Tamora Pierce, Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-12
Updated: 2015-09-12
Packaged: 2018-04-20 07:52:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4779584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/journeycat/pseuds/journeycat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peachblossom has a special place in his heart for Neal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	From the Horse's Mouth

**Author's Note:**

> Written for SMACKDOWN: Team Faleron at Goldenlake in March 2010.

“What was that?”

“What?”

“What just happened?”

“I don’t...what?”

“You just walked by Peachblossom and he didn’t bite you!”

“So?”

“He bites everyone.”

“He doesn’t bite Kel.”

“He actually likes Kel. Why didn’t he bite you?”

Faleron flung his arms out, exasperated. “What do you want me to say?”

“Say why he didn’t bite you!”

“I don’t know!”

Neal stomped back past the stall, dancing narrowly out of the way as Peachblossom tossed his head over the door to nip him.

“See,” he said, gesturing wildly. “Now you walk by.”

Faleron sighed, and strolled past the big gelding’s stall. His ears perked, but he had eyes only for Neal

“What is that?”

“Curses, Neal, I don’t know, he’s probably just used to me.”

He reached over the door to stroke Peachblossom’s soft prickly muzzle. The horse benignly lipped at his fingers and regarded him mildly with big brown eyes. He really wasn’t all that bad, once he got to know him; he was a temperamental beast, Mithros knew, but he had a rather silly side as well.

Faleron turned back to Neal and was startled to see him staring at him with a very peculiar expression.

“What,” Neal said deliberately, “do you mean ‘he’s probably just used to you?’”

He realized his mistake. “Er...”

“Exactly how much time do you spend with Kel?”

“A lot,” he admitted.

Neal scowled at him. “I see, I see,” he muttered. “And how long have you been spending a lot of time with her?”

Faleron was beginning to feel like a criminal. “Four months.”

“Are you going to marry her?”

“Well, I don’t know!”

“Why don’t you want to marry her? I knew you were a cad.”

“I am not! She’s the one who doesn’t want to get married.”

“So you’ve talked about it!”

“You know what? This is ridiculous. I’m leaving. I’ll see you in the mess hall. And for Mithros’ sake, don’t gossip about it.”

“Gossiping is for women.”

“Goodbye, Neal.”

Neal made a rude gesture at Faleron’s retreating back. He wasn’t entirely sure what he thought of this business with Kel, but he decided not to think about it too much. Worrying about Kel gave him headaches.

He yelped as Peachblossom nipped his arm. "Damn it, you vicious beast, you're the real cad around here!"


End file.
